It is the acceptance that Cook Islander Sonya Apa Te Mata is calling for and the greater support to amend the decriminalisation of the homosexual legislation that is placed in the Cook Islands, Kingdom of Tonga and many other Pacific Island nations.

“We are looking at a piece of legislation that was thrown out, that was decriminalised here in Aotearoa 20-30 plus years ago. And when we look at it today a lot of the whānau and a lot of our people say really?”

Apa Te Mata says by working together we can combat these issues.

“It is about succession planning, it is bringing in our rangatira it is about our rangatahi, it is about bridging those gaps also when we see it not just in our communities but across the board.”

Noda also says that it’s about reflecting and remembering for those that came before.